End of the Month View August 31, 2013

Trees and Shrubs:

Big Jay in the Pear Tree

Big Jay has decided that it is his job to protect the pears from the birds and squirrels.
But don't worry - he is too fat and lazy to actually catch anything.

Rose of Sharon

The Rose of Sharon shrubs continue to bloom well despite the Summer's heat.

Swallowtail Butterfly on Butterfly Bush

The Butterfly Bush is the most popular spot in the garden.

Vegetables:

My okra is growing so tall I can barely reach it.

We have two kinds of okra: 'Clemson Spineless' and 'Cow Horn'

Sweet Cayenne Pepper

The Sweet Cayenne peppers are out-producing the Jalapeno peppers.

'Improved Taylor' Beans

I first planted 'Improved Taylor' beans early in May and harvested in July.
This is my second crop, planted in mid-July.

'Super Fantastic' Tomatoes

The tomato vines are looking a bit ragged, but are still making tomatoes.
However, the tomatoes are not as large as they were in July.

Flowers:

Mums

It seems too early for Chrysanthemums to be blooming, but the buds are beginning to open.

'Homestead Purple' Verbena

I've been very pleased with this hardy Verbena I bought in the Spring.
It has really spread out and bloomed all Summer.

Encore Azalea

I'm excited to see that the Encore Azalea is blooming again!

Have a wonderful week-end!

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Wildflower Wednesday August 28, 2013

This post is for:
ABC Wednesday, Wildflower Wednesday, and Outdoor Wednesday
.
G is for Greater Tickseed

Greater Tickseed, Coreopsis major

Greater Tickseed is a native wildflower of the southeastern United States, zones 5 to 9.

Leaves that appear to be six whorled leaves are really two deeply-lobed opposite leaves.

I spotted this lovely wildflower growing by the side of the road.
I am hoping to get it started at my house.

Outdoor Wednesday

Sunset, Monday, August 26, 2013, Itawamba county, Mississippi, USA

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

To learn more about wildflowers, visit Gail at Clay and Limestone: 

Click Here!

To see more 'G' photos, visit ABC Wednesday:

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For more outdoor photos, visit Outdoor Wednesday:

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Butterflyweed Seeds August 25-26, 2013

Today I am joining three great memes:

Straight Out Of the Camera Sunday
Macro Monday 2
Monday Mellow Yellows


Butterflyweed, Asclepias tuberosa, June 16, 2013

Now my Butterflyweed has seeds! Other than adding my name, this photo is SOOC

I caught these seeds and put them in an envelope.
I will sow them later when I decide where I want them to grow.
If anyone has any experience growing Butterflyweed from seeds, I would be glad of any advice.

Hope you are having a beautiful day!

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Planning the Fall Garden August 23, 2013

Sky Watch Friday

Cloudy skies all week. Finally the rain came on Thursday night.

Salad Days

Sweet 100 (red) and Sun Sugar (yellow) tomatoes can be sliced in half or added whole to a salad.

When these two tomato plants first began to fruit in July,
I was getting about the same amount of tomatoes from each one.
But now the Sun Sugar has slowed down production and the Sweet 100 has speeded up!

Lettuces and peas will be planted next week.

Now that the worst heat of the Summer is over, I can plant cool weather vegetables.
I am planning to plant two types of lettuce:
Grand Rapids is a loose leaf lettuce, and Bibb is a butterhead variety.
I have not grown either one before, so I am eager to see how they do.

Another cool weather vegetable I am trying for the first time is Little Marvel peas.
The packet says "8-12 days to germination, 61 days to harvest"
Little green peas can be cooked like any other pea, but we like them sprinkled raw on our salads.

Have a wonderful week-end!

For more Sky Watch Friday: Click Here!

For more on Salad Days, visit Veg Plotting: Click Here! and learn about using seed tapes.




We Have Figs! August 20-21, 2013

This post is for ABC Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday.

ABC Wednesday
F is for Figs

For a few weeks our trees produce enough figs for us to have some to eat every day

Figs, Ficus carica, natives of the Middle East and Western Asia, are now grown in many countries.

Outdoor Wednesday

Figs are also loved by wild animals like this raccoon that raided the tree last year.

According to Wikipedia, figs were one of the first cultivated crops.
To read article Click Here

Hope you are having a beautiful day!

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For more Outdoor Wednesday photos: Click Here!

Rose of Sharon August 18-19, 2013

Rose of Sharon back-lit by the sun, August 13, 2013 

Have a great day!

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Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day August 15, 2013

Mississippi, USA, zone 7

My Turk's Cap, Malvaviscus, was attacked by insects, but still managed to bloom beautifully. 

I planted Marigolds all around the vegetable garden.

I bought this Lantana as a hanging basket for the porch.

I'm glad I did not prune the old blooms from the Zinnias. I think this is a Silver-Spotted Skipper.

Phlox is very reliable to bloom every Summer.

I rescued these Salvias from the Dead and Dying shelf last May. A real bargain - 6 plants for less than 2 dollars!

Homestead Purple Verbena with Swallowtail Butterfly

Another flower highly popular with the butterflies, Buddleia, Butterfly Bush

Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

Visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see gardens all around the world: Click Here!

Night Blooming Cactus August 13-14, 2013

ABC Wednesday
E is for Epiphyllum

Epiphyllum, Night Blooming Cactus

A native of Central America, it is grown as a houseplant in cooler parts of the world 
Mine are in pots. They spend the Summer on the front porch and the Winter indoors.

The blooms are pollinated by moths and other night-flying insects.
They are open for only one night and wilt the next morning.

Outdoor Wednesday

August 13, 2013, Lee county, Mississippi, USA

Interesting clouds Tuesday evening looking towards the South

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

For more 'E' photos, visit ABC Wednesday: Click Here!

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A Rainy Week-end August 11, 2013



We hardly saw the sun all week-end.

Cloudy skies brought sudden bursts of intense rain.

Blanket Flower, Gaillardia, with Coneflowers in the background.

The flowers are looking about half-drowned.
This beauty was bent over to the ground. I lifted it up to get a photo

Swallowtail Butterfly on Butterfly Bush

Even the butterflies are looking a little raggedy.

Bumblebee on Rose of Sharon, Atthea

The bumblebees are so wet that pollen is clinging to every part of their bodies.

Sweet 100 tomatoes

But my vegetable garden is very happy!

Have a Wonderful Week!

To start your week off right
visit Macro Monday 2: Click Here!
and Monday Mellow Yellows Click here!

Orange Sunset, August 8-9, 2013

Sunset, Prentiss county, Mississippi, USA, last Friday, August 2, 2013

Have a wonderful week-end!

To check the weather around the world, visit Sky Watch Friday: Click Here!

If you like the color Orange, visit Orange You Glad It's Friday: Click Here!

Mouse Ears Day Flower, August 6-7, 2013

This post is for ABC Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday.

Let's look at Outdoor Wednesday first.

Madison County Master Gardeners Plant Sale, Jackson, Tennessee, USA, July 11, 2013

ABC Wednesday
D is for Day Flower

Asiatic Day Flower, Commelina communis, is a wildflower of the Spiderwort family

Two blue petals and a much smaller white petal emerge from a green bract

Originally from East Asia, it is pollinated by small bees and flies.

From this perspective, it is easy to see how Day Flower got its common name, Mouse Ears.

Have a wonderful day!

For more information on Day Flower and the Dutch Botanists it is named for, Click Here!

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Okra August 4-5, 2013

Okra, tomatoes, and sweet cayenne pepper from my garden July 31, 2013

Okra, Abelmoschus esculentus

I do like to eat okra, but even if I didn't, I would grow it for its pretty flowers!

Have a wonderful day!

For more Macro Monday photos: Click Here!

For more photos with a little or a lot of yellow, visit Monday Mellow Yellows: Click Here!

End of the Month View July 2013

July's weather has been very good - not as hot as usual, and we have had rain, too. Sunset July 25

Trees and Shrubs:

The Rose of Sharon shrubs, Hibiscus syriacus, are covered in blooms.

The Crape Myrtles, Lagerstroemia, are blooming magnificently this Summer

Vegetables:

'Kentucky Wonder' Pole Beans are producing very well, and still blooming, too!

'Ford Hook' Lima Beans have only two or three beans per pod, but they are big ones!

'Super Fantastic' Tomato is certainly living up to its name!

Flowers:

Bumblebees are really enjoying the Zinnias.

Surprise Lilies, Lycoris squamigera

Staggered bulb planting in the Spring gave me Gladioli blooms all Summer 

Night Blooming Cactus, Epiphyllum, opened last week-end.

Happy Gardening!
For more End of Month Views, visit The Patient Gardener: Click Here!